Gambling as it pertains to Wualan : the effects and potential resolutions

• Main Author: Theechutachart Yongsawat
• Other Authors: Veenunkarn Rujiprak
• Language: English
• Published: Mahidol University. Mahidol University Library and Knowledge Center 2023
• Subjects: Gambling > Government policy; Gambling > Thailand > Phetchaburi
• Online Access: https://repository.li.mahidol.ac.th/handle/123456789/89814
• Institution: Mahidol University

Gambling as it Pertains to Wualan: The Effects and Potential Solutions was a research project derived from an interest in the Wualan game, which has long been a local game in Phetchaburi Province. Gambling on Wualan is not against The Gambling Act of B.E. 2478, which allows the government officials to authorize the community to play the game. However, there is a negative stereotype that goes along with Wualan gambling because of its links to different potential crimes. From those problems, the researcher intended to study ways to solve the crime effects caused by the Wualan gambling. The purposes of this study were 1) to study crime issues caused by Wulan gambling in Phetchaburi Province 2) to study the factors that lead to those crime issues, and 3) to study the ways to solve these negative effects. This was a qualitative research study covering every district of Phetchaburi Province. The research samples were divided into the following four groups: 1) 11 interviewees including soldiers, police, and local administrative staff who involved in the crime suppression division 2) 13 interviewees who involved in organizing Wualan games 3) 20 interviewees from Wualan gamblers in Phetchaburi, and 4) 5 interviewees who were academics, and specialized in Wualan issues. The research tools were a semistructured questionnaire and participant observation form. Data collection was done by in-depth interviews and participant observation. The results of this research showed that gambling, as it pertains to Wualan, were made up of seven offences that could be categorized into two types of crimes: life, health and sex offenses such as brawling or murder, and crimes committed against the State such as drugs, especially amongst youth below 18 years old who participated in Wualan, portable firearms in public areas, homosexual human trafficking, and money laundering. The key factors causing crimes connected to Wualan gambling were 1) gamblers 2) the limitation of law enforcement and 3) the government officials. The potential solutions to these crimes were 1) formal social control 2) informal social control 3) social sanctioning, and 4) the integration of work by all relevant institutions.